Vaccines, once thought of as providing great benefits to animals with few side effects, are being examined more closely these days as vaccines may not be as harmless as previously thought. The American Animal Hospital Association, recently published vaccine guidelines for dogs and many veterinarians use these recommendations to guide their selections. Vaccines are separated into three categories: core vaccines (universally recommended), noncore vaccines (optional) and not recommended vaccines. Core vaccines should be given to all dogs and noncore vaccines only if the risk of exposure to disease is sufficient to warrant its use. Not recommended vaccines are viewed as not effective or considered to contain potential risks that outweigh their use. (Delaware Online)
